The French revolution of 1789 had many long-range causes. Political, social, and economical conditions in France contributed to the discontent felt by many French people especially those of the third estate. The ideas of the intellectuals of the Enlightenment brought new views of government and society. The American Revolution also influenced the coming of the French Revolution. Three of the most important causes of the French Revolution included the lack of skill of Louis XVI, the vast gap between the rich and poor in France, and the revolutionary ideas of the Enlightenment in America. The French Revolution was based mostly on the Third Estate wanting to obtain liberty and equality. France's social system was set up so it would be a matter of time before a revolution took place. The economic classes of France were set in three estates. The first estate was the church, or clergy who included one percent of the people and 1% of the people owned 10% of the land, the second estate was the nobles, which two percent of the people owned 35% and the third estate consisted of peasants and the uneducated, 97% of the people owned 55%.(Document 2). France's economic system allowed for the highest taxation of the third estate while the clergy members were exempt from taxes, and the nobles paid little or no taxes at all. People who are starving and can barely afford to survive can only pay so much before they refuse to pay anymore. The poor people were really poor. The lack of bread also made it hard for people in the third estate to live because the price had raised above peoples abilities to pay. (Document 1) That is probably why the third estate took immediate action to Louis XVII's decision for higher taxes. The third estate played a huge part in the French Revolution and without the Tennis Court Oath there probably wouldn't have been a revolution.

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...Causes of the FrenchRevolution
In the 1780s, long-standing resentments against the French monarchy fueled anger throughout France. The source of the French people’s ill will could be found in the unequal structure of French government and society. A social and political structure called the Old Order created inequalities in French society. In addition, lands held by commoners were taxed heavily, creating a financial crisis and widespread hunger. While social inequalities were driving poor people toward revolt, new ideas from the Enlightenment were also inspiring the FrenchRevolution. Therefore, these were the main causes of the FrenchRevolution.
Under the Old Order, the king was at the top, and three social groups called estates were under him. These groups varied widely in what they contributed to France, in terms of both work and taxes. Document 2 illustrates the three estates in 1789 and the land each held during the Old Regime. According to this diagram, the First Estate was made up of the Roman Catholic clergy, about one percent of the population. Neither the clergy nor the Roman Catholic Church had to pay taxes. Land belonging to the Roman Catholic Church was also exempt from taxes. Furthermore, the church owned about ten percent of France’s land, which produced vast sums of money in rents and fees. Many people resented...

...Assignment I: Causes of the FrenchRevolution
There was not one single decisive reason that was unequivocally responsible for the FrenchRevolution. Many years of feudal repression and economic negligence were factors as to why the general public of France were ripe for revolt. There were also various class orders of people that participated in various ways in propelling the nation into a Revolution, with direct and indirect actions. Documenting a descending fiscal record in the late 1700s, King Louis XVI consulted financial consultants to evaluate the damaged French treasury. Every consultant gave the king the same proposal—that France required a fundamental modification in the methods of taxation on the public—and afterward, all consultants were promptly dismissed.
Ultimately, King Louis XVI recognized that the taxation dilemma actually needed to be dealt with, so he selected a new Controller General of Finances and First Minister, Charles de Calonne. Calonne was a French statesman whose pains to restructure the configuration of his nation’s finance administration hastened the governmental disaster that eventually led to the Revolution. Calonne recommended that France start taxing the formerly exempt nobility. But the nobility rejected this proposal, even when Calonne implored with them throughout the Assembly of Notables in 1787....

...“It was the collective effect of all the causes of the FrenchRevolution that finally caused the people to rise up.”
History Essay Lara Ismael Nogueira Martha
I truly believe it was the collective effect of all the causes of the FrenchRevolution that finally caused the people to rise up. In 1789 the people of France were suffering under the rule of Louis XVI, who used the countries money to provide him and his family the most luxurious life imaginable, while the people starved. The political regime of the time was a absolute monarchy (regime in which the country is ruled by a King or Queen, who inherit this position and has absolute power), but in theory there was a form of parliament, Estates General that consisted of elected representatives. This group of people could only meet if the King allowed or requested the meeting and in the 175 years of the parliament’s existence there had not been a single meeting. This fact frustrated the people because the King did not take their opinion and needs in consideration. Louis XVI would do as he pleased, a clear example of that was placing people in jail for no absolute reason except maybe his dislike for them. During the 18th century France was in a number of wars leaving the country with a lot of debts. In 1780’s the country had to borrow more money simply to pay interest (the amount of money paid on the money borrowed) on their debts. The royal family had a lifestyle...

...of the FrenchRevolution
The FrenchRevolution, which started in 1789, had a variety of different causes. The social structures of France along with the changing demographics are one of these causes. Lack of power to act by the king along with new “Enlightened” ideas were also causes of the FrenchRevolution. Alone, these causes would not have led to revolution. The underlying cause of thisrevolution was the financial system and debts the French government held to. In the end the French government had too many problems with its financial system to continue to follow it. This is shown by looking at how debts were incurred, why the current system couldn’t pay them and why the system couldn’t make changes so they could pay the debt.
First, the vast majority of the debts held by the French were from wars. The Seven Years war which started in 1756 took place in both Europe and North America. It had the French fighting the English for naval and commercial superiority. The French lost this war. As a result, the French lost their North American colonies which were a good source of revenue for the country. This war also decimated the French army and navy. The French government responded by spending more money and taking on more debt to quickly rebuild the...

...The major causes of the FrenchRevolution were the disputes and inequalities between the different types of social classes in French society, and the financial problems, facing the French government, during the year of 1779. The FrenchRevolution of 1789-1799 was one of the most important events in the history of the world. The Revolution led to many changes in France, which at the time of theRevolution was the most powerful state in Europe. The Revolution led to the development of new political forces such as democracy and nationalism. "It questioned the authority of kings, priests, and nobles. The Revolution also gave new meanings and new ideas to the political ideas of the people" ("History Analysis of the FrenchRevolution").
The FrenchRevolution was spread over the ten-year period between 1789 and 1799. "Revolutions evolve in definite phases. At first they are moderate in scope, then they become radical to excess and finally they are brought to abrupt conclusions by the emergence of a strong man to restore order" ("Extensive Analysis of the FrenchRevolution"). Before the beginning of the Revolution, only moderate reforms were wanted by the people. At the beginning of the Revolution, events seemed minor...

...Revolution? The major cause of the FrenchRevolution was the disputes between the different types of social classes in French society. The FrenchRevolution of 1789-1799 was one of the most important events in the history of the world. The Revolution led to many changes in France, which at the time of the Revolution, was the most powerful state in Europe. TheRevolution led to the development of new political forces such as democracy and nationalism. It questioned the authority of kings, priests, and nobles. The Revolution also gave new meanings and new ideas to the political ideas of the people.<br><br>The FrenchRevolution was spread over the ten year period between 1789 and 1799. The primary cause of the revolution was the disputes over the peoples' differing ideas of reform. Before the beginning of the Revolution, only moderate reforms were wanted by the people. An example of why they wanted this was because of king Louis XIV's actions. At the end of the seventeenth century, King Louis XIV's wars began decreasing the royal finances dramatically. This worsened during the eighteenth century. The use of the money by Louis XIV angered the people and they wanted a new system of government. The writings of the philosophes such as Voltaire and Diderot, were critical of the...

...Nicholas Powell
Historiography 299
Dr. Johnston
Marxist History Paper
Attempt #2
April 1st, 2013
Causes of the FrenchRevolution from a Marxist historians perspective
As the first session of the Estates General opened on May 5th, 1789 at Versailles for the first time in 175 years, the Nobility, Clergy and Third Estate met as the Estates General. These three classes together held the power to issue new taxes and institute new policies in France. Louis XVI was in attendance along with the Queen and other members of the royal family. King Louis opened the session with remarks regarding the reasons for the assembly’s meeting and what he hoped would be accomplish.
At the time of this assembly the country was in excessive debt and the King’s proposed solution was to increase taxes on the bourgeoisie. The Third Estate was unmoved by the King’s unacceptable solutions for pulling France out of its economic gutter, and demanded changes be made. This first session marked the beginning of the FrenchRevolution. One month after the assembly at Versailles members of the Third Estate organized themselves as the “National Assembly” this majority of the French population made up over 90% of the French population.
The revolutionary class within the Third Estate was the bourgeoisie, in this class we find lawyers, intellectuals, shop owners, etc. The bourgeoisie’s goals for reform included,...

...period of great social and political revolution in Western civilization. The FrenchRevolution was a major part of this sweeping change in the way Europeans (and the newborn Americans) perceived the function of government and the most effective ways of governing. The FrenchRevolution had many long term and short term causes and effects, and was one of the most violent periods in the history of the country. There were many factors that contributed to the spark of the revolution. There were three main causes of the FrenchRevolution: gross mishandling of governing duties and incompetence in the leadership of King Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette, the large and very unjust social and economic gap between the first two privileged estates and the poor third estate, and finally the revolutionary ideas of the enlightenment and their influence on the philosophies of the people.
Louis XVI was one of the most incompetent and frankly idiotic rulers in the history of France. He would have absolutely nothing to do with his official duties as king, and his horribly decadent lifestyle contributed greatly to the economic plight France was in. The fact that he was married to Marie Antoinette, a native of Austria, France's sworn enemy, was very detrimental as well. Louis XVI inherited debt from previous rulers, but he made no move of any kind toward paying it off. In fact, he...